Mystic Dream
by Renina89
Summary: A new threat to Bonnie has The town of Mystic falls in extreme danger. Bonnie, Caroline, Elena, Matt, Tyler, Jeremy and the Salvatores fight to catch a killer...before he catches them.
1. Dreaming of the light

The sprinkling of laughter hurt his ears and seemed to pierce his skull. The joy of the young teens was so damn smug, so snooty he wanted to reach out and rip their heads off their necks. But no; He could not. He had one goal and one goal only and that was to integrate himself into her life. Into her routine, her trust, and ultimately her heart all the more so that he could destroy her. It wouldn't be easy, but he has spent a lifetime dreaming of this moment. For his time. Learning her, getting close to her, being with her would be almost as fun as destroying her. The cackle of malevolent laughter had the striper he'd paid off looking at him suspiciously. Damn hooker, he didn't even know why he wasted his time with such trash. She would never be as beautiful, as full of life, as bold, as courageous as amazing as the beauty with which he studied. The beauty who has owned his life for months now. He would immortalize that beauty right after he's bathed in it's light. Fuck! After his hard life he more than deserved it. A crooked smile adorned his face as his calmly wrapped his hands around the hooker's neck and squeezed. The nails down his face and arms were hardly registered. Her struggles didn't commute. it was euphoric, some of the greatest pleasure of his life taking another human being's choice away. Well, she was hardly a human being, she was a hooker, but her long curling brown hair, startling green eyes, and florescent skin seeped into his soul and had him dreaming of the beauty who would soon be his. He hummed a sweet lullaby under his breath as he watch the life fade from the hooker's eyes and imagined the day when those eyes would belong to the one and only Bonnie Bennett.

Winter was drifting over Mystic Falls. The sparkling snow cast a veil of illuminating beauty and gleaming gems that seemed to capture a spirit all it's own and hold the entire town captivated. Jeremy Gilbert stared out his window at the steadily falling snow and simply rolled his eyes. It was an annoyance, is what it was. So pure and honest all that white, but all it did was mask the evil it couldn't quite contain. All that glittering goodness was an illusion. Others may buy into the cheer, but he wouldn't. He knew better. Life was a series of Fuck You's, and unless you gave it the finger right back, you could be swept away into a fairy tale and killed without mercy. He'd seen it happen with his own two eyes, and because the memories of those deaths caused a fresh wave of hurt to consume him, he took another swig from the bottle.

"Jeremy? We're all going out tonight to celebrate winter break at Tyler's. You coming?"

Jeremy didn't have to be facing his sister to know she had that same look of concern on her face. It was clearly evident in her hesitant tone, the slight trembling at the end of her speech. He told himself he didnt face her because he was so angry, angry that she could celebrate as if innocent lives weren't sacrificed everyday. As if their whole family hadn't been killed by the very monsters she was going out to party with. And she wanted him to join. Yeah he was angry all right, and that was why he couldn't face her, why he couldn't bare to look at her face, look into her eyes.

"You may be a little ditzy, Elena, but you're not blind. I'm knee deep into my own celebration here. Wouldn't want to ruin my own fun."

Elena Gilbert shut her eyes against the sarcasm in her brother's voice. He hasn't always been this way. At one time he was a carefree and happy boy, an artist. He often loved too hard, laughed too loud, joked too much, but everybody loved him. That spirit, the youth, his innocence has been stolen from him, and because Elena knew that she was partly to blame for it, she ignored his obvious alcoholism, the stench of stale must in his room, the shadows both on the walls and in his eyes. She forced a smile and talked to her brother as if he were the same kid she'd always known.

"Well, everyone is going to be there. It's been a rough year and we're thinking to show solidarity in unity, to show that we are not broken, that we can still be happy because we have each other."

Elena flinched a little at his harsh laughter, "What did you do? Steal that from a valedictorian speech?"

"Tyler will be there, and Matt. Caroline, Alaric, Damon, Stefan and some kids from school."

Elena was careful not to mention Bonnie, and Jeremy was grateful. He could pretend that the pain of their separation didn't hurt as bad as long as he avoided all mention of her at all.

"Sounds cheery. Count me out."

Elena's hard won optimism was slowly crumbling and it took every ounce of strength that she had to keep the pain of his continual rejection from her voice, "Ok, Jer. Well I shouldn't be out too late, but if I am I might just crash over there, will you be alright here?"

"Do I look like I will be alright?"

Because she didn't know how to answer that, Elena simply nodded as if he could see her, and left him to his drinking.

The blast of Katy Perry had Bonnie Bennett smiling. She really liked this particular song, and wiggled a little in time to the beat. Elena was right, this was what they all needed. Some fun, a little celebration, a reminder that while a lot has been stolen from them all over the last year, not everything has been taken. She knew that it was terribly corny, but they still had each other and at the end of the day that was what counted. Bonnie laughed a little at her thoughts, maybe it was the time of year that had her sounding all sentimental. She smiled in thanks at the guy who took her coat, and wandered over to the punch table for a cup of egg nog. As always, Caroline had managed to capture just the right spirit of the evening and keep everyone in a happy mood. The music was loud, the decorations celebratory, and the mood cheery. Yes, Bonnie thought again, trust Caroline.

"Trust Caroline to throw the perfect party."

Bonnie glanced over her shoulder at Matt. Tall, handsome, and blonde he had her heart fluttering in her chest a little and a bright flush spreading over her cheeks that she desperately hoped the low lighting concealed.

"Hey Matty! I was just thinking the exact same thing."

Matt smiled and hugged Bonnie close to him. She smelled of just ripe strawberries and Bonnie Bennett, "She's a whiz. I don't know how she does it and I don't think that I want to, but I'm grateful to her."

Bonnie gave him a tight squeeze before she let him go, "Magic, baby."

Matt's boom of laughter had several kids glancing over and smiling. He didn't laugh often lately, and Bonnie had almost forgotten how infectious his laugh could be. It seeped into her pores and erased the last vestige of weary from her bones.

"Well, if you don't mind, I think I'd like to spend some time with magic of a different sort tonight. If you don't mind keeping me company so that I don't look so pathetically lonely whenever I see Tyler and Caroline flirting in a corner like they are now?"

Bonnie glanced over and flushed, again, at the sight of Tyler and Caroline necking in a corner of the room. The way they were going on she had no doubt she'd be doing a lot of blushing before the night was over. Matt's soft laughter in her ear ruffled a few tendrils of her hair and had a shiver running down her spine.

"Come on, Bonnie. Let's dance."

Caroline shut her eyes as sensations seemed to bombard her body from every possible angle. She had been wondering if getting back together with Tyler had been the right thing to do, and judging from the way she felt right now, it had been more than worth it. He always knew just which buttons of hers to push.

"ummm...hmm...Baby? Tyler? Maybe we should, uh, maybe we should find a room."

Tyler never lifted his head from her neck, damn Caroline always smelled so good, he simply muttered an exclamation that could have been agreement or a command for her to hush and moved lower to her throat.

"Tyler! I will not do this with you in front of an audience. Room. Now."

Groaning at the unwelcome interruption, Tyler lifted his head from the alluring temptation of Caroline's milky white skin. And because he saw Elena approaching them from the other side of the room, he muttered a quick curse, grabbed Caroline by the hand, and made a quick beeline toward to exit of the hall.

The couple bumped him on the way out and had fresh hatred flooding in his veins. He almost followed them just to deliver the quick and temporarily satisfying death they both deserved but he made himself stay where he was. He had much bigger plans. He glanced over as Bonnie laughed at something the tall blonde whispered in her ears. The music was ridiculously loud, but he could hear her perfectly. The soothing harmony of her laughter would be the the bird song of a peaceful mama eagle. She was exquisite. The boy she was with was of no consequence, he was nowhere near good enough for her and would be dealt with soon. He gripped the coat that he held in his hands, her coat still warm from her body, and brought it to his face. A nice, long inhale had her arousing scent drifting in his nostrils and hardening his body to a painful ache. That, to, would be taken care of in its time.


	2. A thin line between love and hate

Did you see me? I was there tonight, watching over you. You were so beautiful and looked as if you were having so much fun. You danced and danced until I thought you would fall down in a heap of dizziness, and I would have been right there to pick you up. You seemed to enjoy the blonde boy in particular? Hmm, I don't think he is good enough for my little wildflower, but I'm sure this is a phase that is necessary, like the one you went through with that drunk who cheated on you. I know you're still mighty upset about that and I promise to take care of him for you, it will be to my extreme pleasure. Why didn't you look at me tonight? Why didn't you smile at me the way you smiled at those other boys? Do you think that I'm not good enough? Fuck You, Bonnie Bennett! You're no perfect angel, that's why your boyfriend went out and fucked another girl! How do you like that, huh? Think you're so high and mighty you stuck up bitch? Cant even hang on to a teenage drunk? He wasn't good enough for you. You deserved much better. You are ten times more beautiful than that slut he cheated on you with. You wouldn't settle for his crumbs the way she did and that makes you better than she'll ever be. There is something much better waiting for you, not that Blonde, he's poor and unworthy. Soon enough I will show you all the treasure and pleasure that life has to offer. with me you will be treated like the Queen you were born to me. One day soon my sweet, precious little wildflower. I love You...*

"Uh...Can someone please turn off the ruckus in my head?"

Bonnie groaned again, and buried herself deeper into the covers. She hadn't drank last night, she never did, but she had had her fair share of egg nog surprise. Leave it up to Caroline to have that surprise be alcohol.

"I am going to kill Caroline."

"You and me both."

Bonnie peaked up from under the covers to see Elena standing in the doorway. She was pale and leaning a little against the door jam, fingers pressed tightly against her temple, hair a wild riot of tangled mess. Even so, Bonnie thought she looked almost unnaturally beautiful, must be all that time she spent with Vampires.

"Please tell me that is a magic elixir to all pain that you hold in your hands."

Elena grinned at the hopeful tone in Bonnie's voice. Her brilliant green eyes had widened in hope giving her the look of a wild pixie. "Gilbert secret formula to a long night of drinking. Trust me, it works. It's been put to use a lot lately."

The room fell into a dead silence. Bonnie sighed at the unwelcome mention of Jeremy and his drinking. she knew Elena didn't like to hear that he was an alcoholic, and Bonnie did her best to stay out of it. She had had her own issues with Jeremy in the past, but has moved on. She wasn't sure if she could even be a good enough friend to him to talk to him about it in a way she knew his sister would not, could not.

"Elena...I'm sorry about Jeremy. I know he's been messing up a lot lately. But he loves you. He can pull himself together."

Elena tried to smile in reassurance but couldn't quite pull it off, "yeah."

"If he's stubborn enough to drink himself to death, he's stubborn enough to get over it. We've been through this before with him."

Bonnie knew she sounded harsh, but she couldn't help it. This recent stint with alcoholism was just another excuse for Jeremy Gilbert to blame the world.

"You're right, Bonnie. But he's my brother. It hurts to see him like that."

The Gilbert family had taken a lot of beatings, recently, and because it made her sad to think of it, Bonnie swiftly changed the subject, "Well, two people that we know enjoyed themselves last night might need a rude awakening this morning. Did you see the way Tyler and Caroline rushed out of here last night and was gone for the whole rest of the party? Who can have that much sex?"

Elena laughed out loud erasing the lines of worry thinking about her brother had caused.

"Two incredibly horny, teenage Vampires. The reigning excuse is that since all Vamp emotions are heightened, it also gives them a heightened sense of sexuality."

Bonnie joined Elena and the both curled up in laughter. "More like two horny teens with no inclination to pace themselves."

"Yeah, Caroline says that being a vampire is the best birth control money cannot buy."

Elena and Bonnie looked at each other for a second and burst out laughing. The sun streamed through the open curtain and seemed to grin along with the two happy, young girls and ease the last of the tension between them...*

Tyler snuck up behind Caroline to wrap his arms around her waist.

"Good morning, Babe."

Caroline shivered a little at the feel of Tyler's lips on the skin of her neck. A little more breathless than she wanted to admit, Caroline nudged him aside with her elbow.

"Move it, Lockwood, I'm trying to cook."

Tyler scowled at the eggs Caroline was preparing, but obediently moved aside to give her more room, "You know we do have a cook for this kind of thing?"

"Yes, and I sent her away. This is supposed to be a time when we all bond as friends and build up the friendships that used to be so important to us all. Your parents are out of town, and I've given the help the day off."

"What does sending the maid away have to do with bonding?"

"We don't need any distractions. I can cook our breakfast, and hopefully Bonnie and Elena will drag themselves out of bed soon and help me out."

Tyler rolled his eyes, "Whatever. I'm heading over to the Grill to hang with Matt. Whenever you girls are done with your female ritual of bonding over burnt eggs, you can head down. we'll play a game of pool."

Caroline rolled her eyes at Tyler's retreating back, "Coward."

He was right about the eggs though, they were burnt beyond repair. Dumping the eggs in the wastebasket, she didn't notice the face outside the window staring at her with an almost unnatural menace...*

Matt wiped at the spill on the counter and glanced up distracted when the door to the Grill was opened. He smiled in welcome at the familiar face, "What up man, the usual?"

The guy nodded and took a seat at the bar, "Slow night?"

Matt grimaced at the empty bar, "Yeah. Hasn't been anyone in all morning. Most of the kids are hung over from last night, some adults are on vacation this winter, and the rest were just too coward to brave the snow for a morning brew. I'm thinking I'm going to lock up in about an hour for the rest of the day."

The man nodded, "Probably a good idea."

Matt snorted and turned to get his only patron's usual from the tap. He barely had time to register the blur as it sped toward him. Pain exploded all over his body, and grabbing feebly at the edge of the counter, Matt went down and gave in to the blackness that overtook him."...

Damn he was so easy. He sneered at the blonde as he went down like a heavy tree. Too damn easy, there was hardly any fun in it. Oh well, he'd take some pleasure in carving the son of a bitch up like the Christmas turkey he wouldn't be enjoying this year. If he felt a pang for the end of such young life, he ignored it. The blonde was getting too close to his little wildflower, and he couldn't have her distracted with anyone else but him. Taking the large Machete from his coat, he went over to stand over blonde Adonis.

"Real sorry about this, pal. But I gotta do what I gotta do, you know? You just looked a little too long at the wrong girl."

Lifting the knife above his head, He swung down and paused at the last minute. Shit! Someone was coming. Who the fuck went out to a bar at 10 in the morning in 5 inches of snow? swearing colorfully, He lowered the knife back in his coat and made his way out the back...*

*The whirling blue and red from the ambulance trucks was an all too familiar sight in Mystic Falls. The few patrons who had remained shook their heads as yet another body was carted out. How many more lives would be lost before the season was over?*

"They say he's going to be ok. Just a bump to the head. He's suffered a little memory loss and can't recall what happened to him, but they're hopeful that it's only temporary."

Bonnie's voice shook on the last word and she turned to bury her face in Elena's chest. Who could have done this to Matty? what else would they have done had Tyler not gotten there in time? It just didn't make any sense.

"He's alive, and that's the important thing. The police seem to think it was just some kids looking to score some free booze, and Matt happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." Caroline paused, she didn't believe that story and from the looks on the faces of her friends, neither did anyone else. Something else, some new threat, was stalking Mystic Falls, and they needed to figure out what it was before anyone else got hurt or killed...*

Damn it! Damn stupid some of a bitch dog! His hands shook as he stared down at the clean machete. The machete that should be scattered with the blonde Adonis's blood. things could not have gone worse. No matter, the boy didn't remember what had happened to him and that left him with plenty of time to fix things. His wildflower wouldn't be very impressed with his failure, but he'd more than make it up to her. When he delivered the head of that meddling dog to her doorstep he'd get just as much pleasure out of it as she would...*


	3. Old wounds heal quicker

1,2 freddy's coming for you. 3,4 better lock your doors. 5,6 pick up sticks. 7,8 stay up late. 9,10 now's the end...The harsh laughter rushed over the tiny room and filled the air with an unholy glee. Death was in the air and the stench of it aroused as nothing else could. No one was around to witness the laugh of the mad...and the damned. *

Winter had well and truly wrapped its cold fingers around Mystic Falls, but instead of the shimmering brilliance it had before, Bonnie now felt a cold chill trickle down her spine. The blessed white had now become cold-blooded, the flurry of snow a veil to hide malevolence. The mood was no longer cheery, no longer celebratory. Matt had almost died. Someone somewhere had targeted him, and until they figured out who that someone was, the safest thing any of them could do was assume that they were all in danger. The thought of it, that her friends and family, her town, was yet again in danger from some unknown threat, had hatred shimmering low in her belly. Bonnie knew she would not stand for this, she simply had to ferret out this new threat, and she would, and destroy him like she's destroyed the others. She looked across the street and saw a familiar, friendly face. It did her spirit good to smile and wave and have it returned. This killer, whoever he was, was in for a fight he couldn't possibly imagine. Bonnie thought of the young deputy...Jesse, who had spoken with them all earlier. early-mid 20's, handsome, tall, dark haired, dark eyes. He was the serious type, Bonnie could read that in his eyes, and he wouldn't be quick to jump on a convenient excuse like rouge teens out for a joy ride. He would either be a huge help to them, or entirely in the way depending on whether or not the threat was human. Bonnie was somewhat hoping that Sheriff Forbes could keep him in line.

Bonnie stopped walking when she was in front of Elena's house. She knew that Elena had been in bad shape after she left the hospital. She and Matt had a long history and she sometimes still felt guilty about leaving him. Matt's always been a great guy, there for them all even in the midst of things he couldn't understand, and the best they could return to him was leaving him in the dark for a long time. They all felt a little guilty that he had been the one to suffer. Taking a deep breath, Bonnie walked up the dive-way to the front door and let herself in. At this point she didn't bother with knocking. The house was dark, a chilling contrast to the brilliance of the outdoors, and shadows chased each other across the walls. Bonnie almost started to turn back until she heard a thump from the upstairs bedroom. Heart in her throat, Bonnie rushed up to take the stairs two at a time to Elena's room. She burst open the door fully prepared to see her friend lying in a pool of blood and was relieved beyond thought when she saw that the room was empty. Sagging against the door, Bonnie slowly took a deep breath before shutting the door. She heard movement coming from Jeremy's room and hesitated. He hadn't come to the hospital and they hadn't spoken to each other much since she broke up with him. She's seen him though, the few times she dared come to the Gilbert house she's see him stumbling about with his drink in his hand. She knew from the stories that Elena had told her that his drinking had gotten much worse, it had gotten to a point that far exceeded his past problem with drugs and alcoholism. Bonnie started to turn away from the drama, but the noise she had heard had sounded like someone hitting the floor. She may be terribly disappointed in Jeremy, but she couldn't leave him if he had hurt himself. Taking another deep breath, she made her way down the hall to Jeremy's room.

Jeremy rested his hot head on the cool floor and tried to block out the pain in his head. He'd heard someone enter the house, and under some false pretense of heroics had decided to face whatever intruder dared enter into his home. He'd ended up stumbling into his desk, banging his head, and falling down in a heap of failure. Whoever it was that had broken in wouldn't find him much of a challenge. Jeremy smirked and tried to lift the arm that held his beloved Jack Daniels. when he couldn't quite manage it, he banged his head in frustration against the floor.

"Keep doing that and you're bound to give yourself a concussion."

Jeremy shivered as her voice traveled over him like a cool breeze. He felt the reaction in his body, she could look at him and get him hard, but more than that he felt the painful squeeze in his heart. His lips shook with the effort to hold his emotion in, and he tried again the lift the bottle to his mouth. When he failed, he simply lay back down, stumped in his own misery, angry, hurt. For her to see him this way had to have been the lowest point he had ever reached, and he turned that self-loathing into hatred for her.

"Might be that I'm praying for a concussion, best way to escape your smug sense of judgment."

She didn't back out of the room in a rush of hate like he had been hoping she would, instead she stepped further into his room, and to his extreme dismay, shut the door.

"This room smells worse than a year old Locker room that has never been properly cleaned."

Jeremy didn't answer, simply lay in his own misery and waited for her to deliver whatever she needed to in order to add her own stab to the wounds his friends had created. They used to come to him everyday to let him know how pathetic he was, and then it had simply stopped. They'd left him to his drinking and went on with their lives as if he no longer existed. They swept him under the rug like a bad joke between them and continued on. That abandonment somehow hurt more than anything he's ever felt in his life except for Bonnie's leaving him.

When he didn't have a retort for that, Bonnie's worry began to seep through her carefully built defenses. Jeremy may be in a sorry state, but his smart mouth had never before been affected. Bonnie made herself really look at him. His cloths were wrinkled and stained, he hadn't shaved in a while and tangled hair adorned his splotched face. He was sweating and the humidity of a room locked too long mixed with the sweat caused his hair to lay matted against his head. And now he had an open wound from his brief trip to the dresser on his head that was steadily bleeding and causing her to worry further. Shutting her eyes against the inevitable, Bonnie made her way over to the bathroom he shared with his sister. It was blessed clean and the cleaner air allowed Bonnie to take a deep breath. she opened the mirror above the sink and found some antiseptic. she was tempted to also take out his shaving cream and shaver, but made herself leave it. It was entirely his choice to look like a bum, and Bonnie would let him have it. when she was finished assorting all the things she would need to heal him: antiseptic, washcloth, jelly to lay over the wound, and bandages, Bonnie went back into the room where Jeremy lay exactly as she had left him.

"You are really pathetic, Jeremy Gilbert, did you know that?"

"Thank you."

Bonnie shook her head and bent to snatch his drink from his loose grip.

"Hey! Give that back to me!"

Jeremy finally jerked his head up, and swore when the room spun. He continued to swear when Bonnie ignored him and simply made her way back into the bathroom. Rising shakily, but determinedly, to his feet, Jeremy followed her into the bathroom.

"You give me back my Jack Daniels, Bonnie Bennett."

"Sit."

when he remained standing and simply glared at her, Bonnie took matters into her own hands and shoved him onto the lowered lid of the toilet. she simply smiled sweetly when he swore at her some more.

"You use curse words as a defense mechanism."

"No, I use booze as a defense mechanism and I'd like to have mine back now."

Jeremy's anger at her had only increased when she had easily overpowered him into sitting, and now it reached unmanageable proportions when she continued on with her business with that infuriating smile on her face.

"This will only take a second. Now sit still, this might sting a little."

"Ouch! shit, Bonnie!"

"Big baby. And don't swear at me, Jeremy. You know I hate it."

"Then stop torturing me."

"I'm not torturing you, I'm healing you."

Jeremy's retort against that claim was swiftly shoved back down his throat when she moved in closer to him. Her chest was right at his eye level, and he could just see the sprinkle of dusky freckles on her chest. He remembered when he used to kiss each one of them and make her giggle. There were 27. His hands shook as he balled them up against his side. She smelled like she always did, Strawberry cake and Bonnie Bennett. She leaned in closer to concentrate on her task and he felt her soft breath flutter his hair. He was totally wrapped in her. Consumed in a way he thought had been lost to him. She had been his world once. He remember when they had first started dating and he had been so unable to even let her out of his sight for a moment. They had spent every waking moment together. Jeremy shut his eyes and this time instead of blocking out the memories, he let them consume him, travel over him and take him over.

"There, Done."

Had she sounded a bit breathless? Was she as affected by being close to him as he was by her? God he hoped so. The pain in his head felt much better, but now the ache had spread to his heart.

"Gee, thanks Dr. Bennett."

"More like nurse doom to you, pal."

Because her answer made him want to laugh, Jeremy scowled at her, "Can I have my sh-stuff back now?"

Bonnie cocked her head and regarded him with that adorable little frown he used to love kissing from her lips, "Why?"

Jeremy shook himself out of her spell.

"Why? why what?"

"Why do you need it? The alcohol, I mean."

"What the fu-heck do you mean, 'Why do I need it? I need it to drown out the stupidity of the world, that's why."

Bonnie shook her head, "Than draw, paint, play video games, have sex, play sports, read a book."

"Or drink. And I choose to drink. It's no longer any of your business, Bonnie."

"You're wrong. Me breaking up with you doesn't mean I stopped considering you as a friend-"

"Than why did you never visit me? Call, write, wave, anything? You broke up with me, Bonnie, and then completely shut me out of your life!"

"That's always been your problem, Jeremy. You only think about you. Had it never occurred to you that I stayed away for my own good? Because being around you was as painful for me as it was for you? Breaking up with you killed me as much as it did you, Jeremy."

"Then why did you do it?"

Bonnie was silent. She refused to answer such a ridiculous question.

"We have to talk about it, Bonnie."

She shook her head, "You know the whole world isn't all bad, Jeremy."

Jeremy sighed at her change of subject. He knew they would never get past their issues as long as she ignored them.

"Oh, yeah it is, Bonnie. Just look at Caroline. That girl was born to be a mother and now that she is a vampire, she'll never get that chance. That has been stolen from her and eventually it'll kill her."

"Caroline can adopt children."

"Why don't you adopt a clue. Vampires can't leave paper trails. And Caroline is forever 17. Last time I checked 17 year olds couldn't adopt."

"She's Caroline. She'll find a way."

Jeremy held back his retort to that. Bonnie needed to believe it, and he wouldn't be the one to crush her optimism.

"Give me back my drink, Bonnie."

Bonnie hesitated for just a moment, and then handed him back the Jack.

"I miss you, Jeremy."

The quiet admission was wrenched from her heart, right before she fled and left him alone. Jeremy shut his eyes. There had been more than disappointment in her eyes, disappointment he could live with, there had been a thread of something reaching for him to reassure her. Jeremy knew that before, when they were together, Bonnie had always turned to him when she had been at her lowest, when she had been unsure of herself. It wasn't often, but that look, that old habit to turn to him, cut him up. Taking the bottle in shaking hands, he poured the contents down the drain. He would never be who he was, he may never again have Bonnie back the way he needed her, but he was damn sure going to be there for her if it was the last thing he did. *

You went to his house. The drunk. what were you doing in there? You aren't stupid enough to get back with him, I know you, Wildflower, so there has to have been another reason why you were there. what was it? hmm... No matter. I promised you a body, didn't I? Don't I always deliver on my promises?

"Hey, stop lolly gagging, you said you heard the noise from back here?"

Sheriff Forbes looked back at her companion as she made her way further into the woods. She was anxious to get on with the case and have somebody in cuffs. The strike against Matt hit just a little too close to home, a little too close to her baby girl, And Liz wanted these perps off her streets sooner rather than later.

"Yeah, Liz. Sounded like a bunch of punks having a little too much fun in the back of the woods there. May be that we'll find them with some of that alcohol from the Grill."

Liz nodded and turned her head to peer deeper into the woods. She never had a chance. The first blow hit her in the back and had her falling down, breath escaping in a whoosh of pain. The second and third stab to the back happened almost simultaneously and before she even had time to hit the ground. The forth stab hit a little deeper and connected to bone. Grunting with the effort to extract his knife from the bone, the killer shuddered at the sound of bone scraping against metal. The sheriff was now still, bleeding from too many mortal wounds. Turning her over, staring into her shocked, glossy eyes, the killed grinned, "Never expected this, did you? You were hitting just a little too close to the truth, sweet. Really don't need any interference from cops on this, hope you understand?"

Lifting his arms high, he swung down and buried the knife deeply into her chest. His arms rose and stabbed down again. Blood spurted and got all over his cloths, in his eyes, he smiled, and blindly now, stabbed again...And again...again...again...again...again...*


	4. Secrets that kill

I wrote you a poem. It's not very good, I'm sure, but it comes from the heart. I wrote all about how I felt you were perfect, and beautiful and so smart. The rest of this damn town is so fucking dumb they could find their heads attached to their necks, but not you. You could be the president one day, if you wanted. I would be the first husband. Doesn't that just tickle you? I want my hands on you, every fucking day. I see the way you smile at strangers and I swear I could just strangle them, but not you, Wildflower, never you. Well not until...well, that's not important. I've nearly lost my train of thought...Oh yes! I wrote you a poem. Not very good, you've probably had better. I'm not fancy like Shakespeare or Juilliard, or whatever, but it's from the heart. Sometimes those fancy writers can be so cold, they think about the technical and not the emotional. I've got tear stains on my paper to show just how emotional I am. You'll like it, won't you? I'll hate you forever if you don't.

P.S...Just in case you don't understand just how much I really love you, let me give you a hand...*

She hated hospitals. The sterile atmosphere, the dull white walls, faceless entities in scrubs and face masks. Sickness and death. For a girl like Caroline, it was the worst place to be. She shuddered to think of her brief stint in one. That was when she had been turned against her will. when she had had her humanity stripped from her for the upper hand in a childish game between Katherine and Damon. The anger in her for both of them smoldered deep, and because it threatened to consume her, Caroline stopped in the middle of the hall to catch her breath. She waited until she was could be the bright and energetic sunshine everyone expected her to be, the girl who never held grudges, was never angry even when it was expected. She knew she needed to be perfectly poised because a lot of people depended on it. She wished to god she could call her mom, but she hadn't been answering any of Caroline's calls. Normally Caroline would be worried about that, but she knew how much solving the case of Matt's attackers meant to her mom. she most likely wouldn't come out of her office until she at least had a substantial lead. Such was the life of a girl with a cop for a parent. Caroline stopped when she was just outside Matt's hospital room. It killed her a little to think of him in there so hurt. She just could not understand why anyone would do this to Matt. He'd had such a hard life, so many tough and often unfair deals, but he always shouldered those hardships as best he could and lived his life as honestly as he could. Caroline knew that she had been part of the problem with him before, lying to him and ultimately leaving him for his best friend. And now he lay hurt in a hospital bed. The doctor wanted Matt to get as much rest as possible and to concentrate on getting his memory back. Caroline was to not push him too hard, and she hoped that she wouldn't. She didn't want to do anything else to hurt Matt.

"Hey Matty. How you doing?"

Matt glanced over at the sound of Caroline's low voice. She hesitated at the doorway and that struck him as odd. One thing he knew about Caroline was that she was never hesitant. She buzzed from one spot to the next almost as a blur.

"Hey Care, I'm alright. Come on in."

"Oh! Don't try to sit up, Matt. It's fine." Caroline's voice held a tinge of panic when she saw Matt trying to sit up in his bed.

Matt's laughter was low and unmistakably amused, "I have a bump on the head, Care. I'm not invalid. I won't break if I sit up."

"I know. I'm sorry, but you should have seen yourself when you first got here. I've never seen you so vulnerable."

Matt nearly choked on the apple juice he was sipping on, "Caroline! Men are not vulnerable, I was not 'vulnerable' I was temporary immobilized."

Caroline chuckled and seated herself on the edge of his bed. His color was much better, and she had missed joking around with him. Nearly losing Matt had put a new fire under her butt. They may not be dating anymore, but Matt was one of her oldest friends. She would not lose him to death and certainly not to some silly relationship drama.

"Semantics. Besides, Matt, its been my experience that the manliest of men can be called anything and shoulder it. The words don't make the man, the man makes the words."

Caroline smiled widely at Matt's boom of laughter. That, too, was something she had missed. *

Jesse Boldari could have easily passed off as a model as he wandered the halls of the hospital. He turned more than a few heads, but continued on as if he didn't notice. He knew when his looks were useful and when he could use them, and he did so ruthlessly. He also knew when he was out of the loop. Something else entirely was happening in Mystic Falls, something that sheriff Forbes hadn't wanted him a part of. He had moved to the small town Virginia in the hopes of escaping the harsh streets of New York. He was only 26 and already he had seen too much in his young career. Everyday he thought of his ex-partner and what had happened to Brian...And because the thought of him managed to choke him up, had the familiar weakness locking up his muscles, Jesse forced himself not to think of it. He had left New York and that pain behind. He felt his luck change, swiftly, when he saw Bonnie Bennett rush into the corridor. He knew her young friend...Caroline Forbes, was visiting with Matthew Donovan and she would most likely want to give them some time alone. If his info was correct, the young Matthew and Caroline had a bit of history. Bonnie would want to give them some time alone. He took a second to study her. She seemed to be in a hurry for something, he had only spoken with her on a couple of occasions, and both times the girl had seemed preoccupied with something else. He never had the feeling that he had ever had her complete attention. she wasn't exactly a restful person, busy, worried, protective, brave...Jesse's career had been built on quick assumptions and he made his about her fairly early on. He had no doubt that she wasn't involved in the attack on Donovan, but she was holding something back. Jesse had decided to work with her for the time being. She really was very beautiful. Long curling hair fell in a mass of brown silk down her back, brilliant emerald eyes stared back at the world in a defiance he admired. She was small, maybe 5'3, but had a presence that was unmistakable.

"Miss Bennett."

Bonnie quickly turned to face Jesse Boldari, the young deputy from the other day, as he slowly made his way toward her. He had an infuriating air of arrogance that got under her skin. He knew he looked good, he knew he turned heads, and he walked with the easy confidence of a man accustomed to the attention. Bonnie was tempted to turn away, tell him she was too busy to talk to him, but she knew that would be petty. With Matt laying in the hospital, and the Sheriff dodging her calls, she couldn't afford to turn away help.

"Mr. Boldari. I'm not sure how much more I can tell you, but I'm glad you're here. It's nice to know the police are still invested in figuring this thing out."

"I don't shut a case until it's solved, Ms. Bennett."

Bonnie frowned a little at the way her name seemed to run off his tongue. Like smooth butter over toast, and eyed him suspiciously. He simply grinned at her and put a hand to her elbow with uncomfortable familiarity.

"You don't mind if we find a quieter spot to talk, do you Ms. Bennett?"

Bonnie continued to frown at him, but turned to lead him to the visiting area chairs.

"Like I said, Mr. Boldari-"

"Jesse. Please."

Yes, Bonnie thought, definitely something there. Must be all that Italian blood.

"Like I said, I'm not too sure how much more help I can be to you."

"Why don't you let me worry about that?"

Jesse seated himself and turned to look at her, really look at her. She seemed tired, stiff. He coulnd't be sure if the stiffness was due to him or too much worry and pressure on her shoulders. Either way, he strived to ease a bit of the tension in the air to loosen her up. He gave her an easy smile.

"You and Matt were close, it seems you all are. This is a small town, you're sure he didn't have enemies who would want to see him hurt? Maybe an old romantic interest? School mates? He used to date Elena Gilbert, correct? Isn't she seeing another student?"

Bonnie had to bite her lip to keep from striking out against the implications he was making against her best friends, "Stefan Salvatore. They've been dating for about a year and I can tell you that neither had anything to do with the attack on Matt."

But there was something about Salvatore. Bonnie wouldn't say anymore, and he decided not to push the issue.

"What about Tyler Lockwood? He and Matt were friends, played on the same team, and seem interested in the same girl. A little rivalry between them wouldn't surprise me."

"What? No! Matt and Tyler are like brothers, and Caroline would never allow them to fight over her, she'd leave them both if it ever came to that. They are not rivals, they are teammates. Besides, Tyler is the one who found him."

Jesse had no doubt that Tyler wasn't involved, but he needed Bonnie to think he was suspicious, it would be the best way to get anything out of her.

"Exactly. He found Matt, and as far as I'm concerned, was the only person to see him. Opportunity plus motive won't set well for your friend."

Bonnie jumped up out of her seat and regarded him with a glare that would have withered a lesser man than he.

"How dare you! How dare you sit here in my face and imply that my friends somehow had anything to do with this? You know what, Mr. Boldari, I don't have to sit here and listen to this. I thought you were smart, but if you're looking at Tyler for this, then you are as useless as your playboy good looks imply."

Jesse held up a hand to stop her tyrant, "Easy, Bonnie. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't look at every possible angle. Lockwood has to be carefully looked at before he can be dismissed as a suspect. I'm simply doing as thorough a job as I can. Out of total respect for the case."

As he had hoped, that took some of the fight out of her. He watched her take a deep breath, think her options through, and decide that he was indeed useful to her. His felt his respect for her grow as she calmly took her seat next to him.

"Fine, Mr. Boldari. I understand. But I can't help but reiterate that you're looking in the wrong place, with Tyler. I can tell you for a fact that he wasn't involved."

"Fine. Looks like we've got company."

Jesse tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice as he saw her young friend spot them and make his way over. He was slightly shocked to see him there, Jeremy Gilbert. His estimations were never off, and he pegged the kid as a drunk who most likely wouldn't be out of his room enough to be a bother. Jesse understood his reason for suddenly coming out when he noticed the way the youngest Gilbert looked at Bonnie. He didn't know how he felt about that, but it was certainly something he would examine later.

"If you'll excuse me, Ms. Bennett. I appreciate your time."

She barely acknowledged him, and Jesse made a quick exit.

"Jeremy."

Jeremy stopped in front of her and took her in. Last night when they had talked he had been drunk out of his mind. Bonnie had been beautiful then. Today, he was stone cold sober and saw her with fresh eyes and she was almost beyond his comprehension. He couldn't quite find his footing, and because he wanted desperately to touch her, he put his hands behind his back.

"Hey Bonnie. I didn't know if I would be welcome or not, but I thought it important to make some effort to get here. How is Matt doing?"

"He's good. The doctors say there will be a little bit of memory loss, but it's nothing that time can't fix."

Jeremy nodded and Bonnie took the opportunity to study him. He looked good, really good. There were new lines on his face, but instead of making him look tired, he looked like a rugged pirate. His hair had been washed and fell every which way on his head. He'd shaven, but there was still a smidgen of dark stubble on his chin making him look even more like a pirate. Bonnie thought he looked impossibly handsome.

"You shaved."

It was the stupidest thing to say and Bonnie felt like an idiot, but he fairly took her breath away.

Jeremy smiled ruefully and touch his hand to his cheek, "Yeah, I figured I had better. If I had come here looking the way I did, the staff would have mistaken me for a patient and shoved me into a wheelchair."

Bonnie smiled, really smiled, for the first time all day and moved to touch a hand to Jeremy's arm in an old familiar gesture. She stopped herself at just the last moment and linked her hands in front of her. To their mutual disappointment.

"Well, I'm glad."

And it was true. *

Her room was dark and cold, the bed neatly made. It had been easy to get in, her father was never home, and he knew exactly where Bonnie kept her spare key. Tidy as always, was his little wildflower. He inhaled her scent and felt his body stir to life. It was only a matter of time now. Part of him wanted to stay and wait for her to come home. Force her to accept him, accept their life together, but he didn't. Everything in it's time. For now he would be content to leave her the little present he had prepared especially for her. He wished he could see her face when she got it, but imagining it would have to do. he opened the box he held and grinned down at the hand he had chopped from the Sheriff's body. It lay still in a bed of roses and clutched in the fist was his poem to Bonnie Bennett. Oh how she would love it!*


	5. Perceptions of reality

Elation filled him as he shut the door to his darkened room and played soft jazz from his CD player. He stripped his clothes and moved to his dresser to take out her picture. God she was so gorgeous, and he knew she was so close to being his. Finally they would be together. He closed his eyes, the image of her forever burned in his mind. She had taken the photo during her senior year. Smiling, innocent, sexy...He gripped himself in his hand and slowly began to work himself, humming low in his throat, her picture in his head. hum..dum..dee..dum...hmm. Yes. He could just imagine the look on her face when she got his present! Fuck, he knew he should have stayed around to witness it, but he couldn't get greedy. Greed got you killed. But she did belong to him, didn't she? Was it not his right to take from her what he needed? His cock jerked in his hand as he shifted through his dresser to find the other memento he had taken from her room. Silky midnight blue panties with a crescent moon right where her pot of gold would be. He giggled at the thought of it. That little crescent moon had kept his treasure well and truly guarded. He brought the underwear up to his face and inhaled deeply. The scent was clean, but he could imagine the smell of her cream on the panties. It would smell like spoiled eggs. Hmm...Yes. He stroked his cock a little faster...harder. The music seeped into his soul and down his spine, the smell of her in his nostrils inflamed his soul, and the picture of her smiling face in his head had hot white cum squirting from his groin to spurt all over the floor and his thighs. Yes. *

"How is she?"

Stefan Salvatore regarded his girlfriend of the past year soberly. Since Bonnie had found the body part in her bedroom the night before, everyone has been on edge, but moreso Elena. He knew how much Bonnie meant to Elena, how devastated she would be if anything happened to her friend. The fact that Bonnie was the target of some unseen threat had them all on edge. Even Damon.

"She's asleep now, thank god, she's finally cried herself out. oh god, Stefan. She won't ever be the same after this." Elena buried her face in her hands and let herself cry. She had been strong for Bonnie all morning, and now she needed to let a little of her own fears out.

"This is Bonnie Bennett we're talking about, she'll snap out of it."

Stefan tossed his brother a quick and quelling look and was prepared to take him down, but Elena held up a hand.

"No, Damon. Bonnie's been so strong and brave because she's had to be, but what this sick freak left in her room? Being stalked the way she is, having someone killed on her behaved? That isn't something someone simply 'snaps out' of."

Elena hunched her shoulders and turned away. Stefan glared at his brother, which Damon ignored.

"Then she'll deal with it. You're not her mother, Elena, and you cannot take so much on. Bonnie wouldn't want that."

"We've all had a rough morning. Instead of trying to force her to get over it, why not strive for a little bit of understanding, Damon."

Alaric Saltzman, who had been silent up until that moment, stepped forward between them. Alaric was regarded as somewhat of a guardian of the young Gilbert kids, and he took the role pretty seriously.

"Alaric's right. Maybe we should try and focus on who could have done this?"

Stefan rushed to take Alaric's lead and end the confrontation between his brother and his girlfriend. Damon wouldn't admit it, but he was just as upset over Bonnie as Elena was. And because Stefan recognized it as worry, he backed off.

Alaric nodded at him, "Now what do we know? The guy is close enough to Bonnie to have easily gotten into her house without causing enough of a stir to have the neighbors alarmed. He knew where her key was because the house wasn't broken in. He has no issue with killing and obviously regards death as something that would excite Bonnie-"

"He's a sick fuck."

Alaric nodded in acknowledgment of Damon's outburst, "And he's no Shakespeare, but he's obviously got an obsession with Bonnie. He was friendly enough to get close to Matt, because we have to assume that he was a part of the attack on Matt as well, and there has to have been a reason for that."

"Matt and Bonnie were close all night at the party. Maybe jealousy?"

Alaric gave Elena an encouraging smile. "Yes. So we can assume that anyone close to Bonnie will be regarded as a threat."

"What does he ultimately want out of this?" Caroline spoke up for the first time. She was pale, moreso than usual, and had a sickly look to her otherwise flawless skin. The worry over Bonnie combined with the increasing worry over her missing mother was making her sick. The hand left in Bonnie's room had been taken in for autopsy, and Caroline was terrified at what they would discover. Tyler wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders, and Caroline took a minute to lean into him.

"I'm guessing Matt, and this latest gift were meant as enticements. His twisted way of courting her."

Alaric said it matter-of-factly, but the entire room still shuddered at the implications.

"I just can't believe that anyone would target Bonnie this way. And to use these methods, regardless of what Alaric says, means that the guy doesn't really know her at all."

No one in the room corrected Elena, everyone lost in their own thoughts. At the end of the day they all knew that it wouldn't matter how much the guy knew of the real Bonnie Bennett, all that mattered was his perception of her. *

Jeremy's hands shook as he smoothed the hair back from her temple. To think that she had been alone, afraid, hunted, sent a shudder running through his entire body. Where had he been? Off somewhere getting drunk? He'd often regarded Bonnie as indestructible, but looking at her now, laying in his bed, smothered by blankets, she seemed impossibly small and fragile. Too easily broken. Bonnie gave a soft whimper in her sleep and Jeremy realized that he had been gripping her hair too tightly. Trying to hold her to him. He eased his grip and uttered useless nonsense to her until she settled back down. He could still see the tracks her tears had left on her face, for a few terrifying, heartbreaking minutes she had cried in her sleep. Jeremy has known Bonnie for 17 years, and in all that time he could count the number of times that he's seen her cry on one hand. Bonnie didn't cry. She shouldered her fate and she dealt with it. It was a skill he both admired and hated. He remembered once before wishing she could be more vulnerable to him, and now that she was, he didn't think he would survive it. He needed to be strong for her, and he wasn't altogether certain that he could be.

"Jeremy. we're all going to head over to the police station, see if they have anything new. You guys going to be alright here?"

Alaric poked his head in Jeremy's room and he looked Jeremy over, clearly nervous that Jeremy wouldn't be able to keep himself sober long enough to watch Bonnie while they were gone.

"Yeah. She's going to be asleep for a while, and I won't be leaving her side."

Alaric hesitated for another second and annoyed Jeremy. He knew he had been weak in the past, but there was absolutely nothing he wouldn't do to keep Bonnie safe. Seeming to find what he needed, Alaric nodded and shut the door quietly behind him. Sighing, Jeremy eased himself onto the mattress and lay beside Bonnie. He held her close to him and curved his body tightly, protectively, around her the way he used to when they were dating. She snuggled deeper into his arms, trustingly, and Jeremy felt his heart jerk in his chest.

"Jeremy?"

Jeremy tightened his arms around her. Her voice was a mere thread of sound, and hearing her sound so vulnerable sliced him up.

Bonnie turned her head slowly to look over her shoulder at him. There were knew lines of worry in his taut face, his lips suppressed with worry. Small shakes wracked his body and she knew part of it was fear for her and part of it was the need for a drink. Because she understood both needs, Bonnie gently laid a hand on the dark shadow along his jaw. His moved to put his face deeper into her palm, and kissed the exact center. A shiver went through her, through him.

"You need to sleep, baby."

Jeremy's voice was incredibly gentle and caused fresh tears to threaten.

"I can't. Everytime I close my eyes I see..I see it."

Bonnie's breath hitched, and Jeremy held her closer. Tighter. She was grateful that he was there. That he would be the only one to witness her moment of pain, of weakness. Her acknowledgment of the stalker's hit against her.

"Shh. Ok. It's ok. Then we'll just sit up here."

Jeremy rocked her gently until she had settled back now. Her pain was his, and he was afraid he couldn't take much more of it.

"Kiss me."

Bonnie felt his body jerk against her, and she moved her head to once again look him in the eye.

"Jeremy. I need to take the bad away, replace it with something good. Kiss me."

Jeremy didn't argue with her. Gently cupping her face in his hands, he lowered his head and captured her trembling lips. A small sigh escaped her and he took it into his body, that first stirring of life. Bonnie could feel the softness of his lips feeding on hers. There in the comfort of the darkness, she turned into him and silently asked for more. There was no hesitation, Jeremy needed her as much as she did him. His hand caressed over her face to gently cup her chin and tilt her head up to give him further access. He felt her moan through his entire body, and gave an answering sigh. Her mouth was hot and heated up his blood stream, causing it to ache all through his body, but Jeremy kept the kiss soft. Tenderness, he knew, was what she really needed. He turned over so that she lay under him, her hands wrapped around his face, his around hers, so that they were totally linked. Completely lost in the moment. The room was filled with soft sighs, anxious moans, and the nonsense he murmured to soothe her.

Bonnie felt his lips travel all over her face, and relaxed against him. She was almost too afraid to hope that she could have him again, but just for tonight he was there for her. Solid, real. and for the first time in a really long time, Bonnie allowed herself to depend on another person. *

Stupid fucking bitch! Raggedy cunt! How dare she? How fucking dare she? After the amazing gift that he's given her what does she do? Lay up with that stupid drunk! He should kill the son of a bitch where he lay, but no. This time, he knew, Bonnie needed to be punished as well. He would not stand for her disrespect and it was time she knew it. He Grinned wickedly at the gun he held, Felt inside his pocket for the syringe, then stealthily made his way further onto the darkened street. This one wouldn't be easy, he'd have to catch the fucker by surprise. Creeping up from behind he lay a gentle hand on Stefan's shoulder.

"We'll find the guy."

Stefan nodded but didn't turn around. Guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders and he couldn't help but feel partly responsible. This sort of thing tended to follow him where he went. The police had had no new leads, and Boldari was getting too suspicious of them all. Digging a little too closely to secrets that could get him killed. he'd wanted to question Bonnie, but Stefan had told him she was safe with Jeremy, resting for the moment. He hoped he had sent the message loud and clear. He shut his eyes, and batted irritantly at the sting in his neck. then froze. Vervain. shit. Clutching wildly behind him, Stefan felt his muscles lock up and then go useless on him. He went down hard staring up at the evilly smiling face above him in both confusion and fear. *


	6. Taking control

He didn't scream. Didn't scream, didn't yell, holler out in pain or promise retaliation. He simply stared. Stared into the eyes of his torturer with deadly promise. Stefan Salvatore was a vampire at his weakest point, shot full of Vervain and chained tight to a chair, and yet his attacker shivered in fear. there was nothing to suggest that Salvatore could actually carry out that silent threat, but something lived and breathed in him that was dangerous and malevolent, and he had no doubt that should even a small hint of an opportunity present itself, he would be a dead man. The torturer smiled to himself. He was looking forward to the challenge. He was looking even more forward to the day when he could hand his little wildflower the perfect bracelet made entirely out of Vampire's teeth. *

Tyler Lockwood paused outside Jeremy's door. He couldn't be sure exactly what his point was for being there, what he would say or what he wanted to accomplish out of this visit. Bonnie was one of his close friends, he's known her all her life and looked to her as someone to protect. Even as they rarely spoke, Tyler knew he would die for Bonnie. Such was the bond of their little group. Since the incident with the massacred hand found in her bed, Bonnie had received two more letters. Each one more lewd, more disturbing than the next. Bonnie never said a word when she delivered them, simply announced to the group that she had gotten another letter, handed it over, and went back to Jeremy. They were random and found in random and personal places: Her bedroom, her car seat, in her purse. Whoever this person or persons was, they were close enough to do damage should they feel the need. A fact he knew constantly had Jeremy on the edge. His friend hadn't left Bonnie's side since she began getting the letters, and even now Jeremy could hear his voice behind the door. He gave a soft raft, and waited.

"Tyler. Hey, Bonnie just got up. Come on in."

Jeremy looked a little worn, and Tyler put a hand on his shoulder in solid solidarity. He could imagine how Gilbert felt, if someone were doing to Caroline what was being done to Bonnie he could't tell how he would react.

"What up, guys. Caroline's with Elena at the hospital visiting Matt, and Damon went to check up on Boldari, thought I stop by here and see how you were doing."

Tyler looked at Bonnie. She looked tiny on Jeremy's queen sized Mattress and very feminine against the harsh colors and unmistakably masculine room.

"I appreciate you checking up on me, Tyler, but it's not necessary. I'd much rather we had as many people as possible trying to figure this thing out. Jeremy's bad enough, he's like a papa bear."

Tyler supposed Bonnie wanted to sound firm and exasperated, but when she looked at Jeremy he could have sworn her expression looked entirely too pleased...

"You look too long at a picture you start seeing things that aren't there. I figure the best thing to do was take a step back and gain some new perspective. I wanted to see you, anyway."

Bonnie smiled at him and combed her fingers in her hair with impatience, "You're right. It's just driving me nuts. I want my hands around this guy's throat."

Jeremy choked out a laugh, "Blood thirsty wench."

"It's why you love me."

Tyler watched Bonnie and Jeremy smile at each other and cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable.

Jeremy smirked at him, and Tyler scowled. Smug bastard, he had almost forgotten what a little punk Gilbert was.

"It's actually good you've stopped by, Tyler. I was hoping to get a word with Boldari myself."

Tyler waved him off, "By all means. But be warned, the guy's a menace."

"You're going to talk to Jesse Boldari? I don't know, Jeremy. Tyler's right, the guy's a bit of a tyrant. He's liable to consider you a suspect just for showing up."

"Are you worried about me?"

Bonnie smiled and Jeremy felt the warmth run through his blood. He didn't need to hear it, Bonnie had that little adorable line of worry in between her brows that usually meant she was contemplating how to save someone...him. Jeremy made his way over to her.

"I'll be fine. I've had my fair share of run-Ins with the law. They don't scare me."

Bonnie didn't know why she was worried, why she still cared too much, but she did. And because it was too much like the way it used to be between them, she automatically shut down.

"Just be careful."

Jeremy saw her shut down and bit off a sigh. One small step at a time. He smoothed the line between her brow, saluted Tyler and shut the door on his way out.

There was a small silence once Tyler was alone with Bonnie. It was weird, they were close friends, and before most people he knew, Tyler considered Bonnie one of his best friends, but they had rarely had a moment between just the two of them.

Bonnie smiled at him to ease a bit of the tension. He was so tall, not as tall as Jeremy, but he was well built and the muscles gave him the illusion of even more power. Bonnie felt oddly safe in his company and she rarely felt that way these days unless she was alone with Jeremy.

"You look tired, Tyler. How has Caroline been taking everything?"

Bonnie wished she could be there with her friends, but she couldn't risk it. Too much was depending her her involvement with other people, and had he not been so stubborn, Bonnie would have insisted that Jeremy keep more of his distance.

"I think we're all a little tired. You know Caroline, she a little fighter. She's pushing through and staying strong for Elena and Matt, but she's definitely worried. Every day that goes by without word from her mom puts a little bit more stress on her shoulders."

"Haven't the autopsy people got anything yet?"

Tyler shook his head, "We should know in another day or two. If we're lucky, sometime today."

Bonnie shut her eyes against the pain. so much death, so much destruction. How many more would lose out on their lives before this thing was over?

"I can barely stand it, Tyler."

Tyler had to strain to hear Bonnie, her voice was so low. He didn't answer her, he didn't know how. The both glanced up when the front door slammed open. Looking at each other for a split second in utter fear, Tyler finally sprinted into action and rushed out the bedroom fully prepared to protect Bonnie using any means necessary. He stopped short when he saw Caroline. Her hair was wild, her clothes rumpled. Her face was read and splotchy, and she had tears in her eyes, liquid streaming from her nose. Her breaths came in short gasps, and Tyler was afraid she would have an attack right there in the hall. He rushed down the steps to meet her and was shocked when she collapsed in his arms.

"Caroline-"

"My mom! Tyler!" Caroline spoke in between great sobs, "My mom!" *

Jeremy studied Jesse from outside his office. The guy seemed too pretty to be a cop, but to each his own. Jeremy didn't quite feel safe with entrusting the safety of Bonnie to this guy, but that was an assumption based purely on looks and he felt he was above that. He took a breath and made himself open the door.

Jesse glanced up from the papers he was studying and leaned back in his chair when he saw Jeremy Gilbert. This was the second time the kid had surprised him, and he was rarely surprised these days. Looked like he had underestimated him.

"Jeremy Gilbert. I get the honor of two visits in one day? Lucky me."

Jeremy smirked at him, he appreciated when he met another smart ass.

"I'm not here to go over the same stuff you've been over with Damon, I can get the gist of it from him. I'm here to talk about what you've been doing to ensure Bonnie's safety."

Jesse quirked a brow, yes, he had definitely underestimated the kid. Jesse waved his hand at the empty chair across from him.

"You should probably be more concerned for your own safety, Gilbert. Based on what I know about the case."

"I am. Trust me I'm not being stupid, I know to take some precautions. I'm banking on the killer perceiving me as less than a threat and therefore would underestimate me and give me time to get to him before he got to me." Jeremy looked Jesse right in the eye when he said it, and Jesse couldn't help but respect him for it.

"I'll admit I'm surprised you were even aware anything was going on, Gilbert."

"I'm always aware when it comes to Bonnie. Her safety is the most important thing to me."

"Me as well."

"No offense, Mr. Boldari, but you barely know her. Calling every once in a while to check up on her isn't going to help. This nutcase leaves personal notes to her in private places. He's gotten too close."

Jesse nodded and sat up a little in his chair. He couldn't wave the kid off like he had been prepared to do.

"To be perfectly honest with you, Gilbert, I like Bonnie. She's a brave girl, strong. I want to find this fucker who has been messing with her life, and I want to do it with little to no harm to her. But this is Mystic Falls, not LA. I'm afraid the best I can do is a call every now and then to check up on her. As it stands, this isn't the only case on my table."

Jeremy held himself back. He had to remind himself that while Bonnie came first to him, he had to concede to the fact that Boldari had to protect the town on a much larger scale.

"You can be sure, Boldari, that I won't be leaving Bonnie's side. But I'd like to ask for a deputy to be placed on guard for her until this thing is over."

"We cannot afford-"

"I'm willing to pay for the time and expenses of whoever you place on her."

Jesse chuckled a little and shut his eyes. He rubbed his forehead in aggravation. This day was getting longer and longer.

"I'm afraid your restaurant paychecks aren't going to be enough to cover the salary of a deputy for personal use."

"I have a trust fund with enough funds to retire the entire department should I wish it, Mr. Boldari. I'm simply asking for one deputy."

Jesse looked at Jeremy Gilbert, really looked at him, and had to acknowledge for the third time in less than an hour that he had been completely off the mark with this kid. Definitely someone it would be a mistake to underestimate.

Jeremy nodded at him and rose to leave.

"As long as we understand each other." *

Bonnie my Bonnie, skin as soft as snow...Bonnie my Bonnie oh how you'll never know...Your eyes so bright oh how they shine ...Bonnie my Bonnie...One day you shall me mine. He laughed a little has he lifted the small hammer to smash against the vampire's teeth. He flinched but still didn't make a sound. The killer smirked at him. One tooth down, 10 more to go...*


	7. At the edge

Honesty is the best thing for any relationship. Don't you agree? If you don't have honesty in a communication the relationship falls apart. Without honesty there can be no trust. How can I trust you, Bonnie, trust your feelings for me if you're not honest? are you still seeing him? The drunk? Do you still see him? Love him? Have sex with him? Do you give him your body, Bonnie, the body that by all rights should belong to me? How could you do this? How could you hurt us this way? I TRUSTED YOU. TRUSTED YOU. I GAVE YOU EVERYHTING AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO? SNEAK AROUND WITH THAT DRUNK WHO BROKE YOUR HEART? I THOUGHT YOU WERE BETTER THAN THAT, I REALLY DID. HE CHEATED ON YOU, BROKE YOUR HEART, KILLED YOUR EGO, MASACRED YOUR SELF-ESTEEM, AND DIMINISHED YOUR SELF-WORTH. HE'S A CONFUSED, IMPULSIVE, SELFISH DRUNK AND I SEE THE DISAPPOINTMENT IN YOUR EYES EVERYTIME YOU LOOK AT HIM. HE'S SHATTERED YOU. I'VE LOVED YOU. AND WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU HURT ME THIS WAY FOR HIM? YOU ARE SO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT! I KNOW YOU ARE! WHY DO YOU DO THIS? WHY DO YOU HURT YOURSELF OVER AND OVER FOR HIM? WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? YOU ALLOW HIM TO STEAL YOUR SHINE AND MAKE YOU LESS PERFECT. AND NOW WE MUST ALL PAY. YOU. ME. AND HIM.

Bonnie closed her eyes and silently handed the note over to Jesse Boldari. This latest one had been sitting on the Gilbert doorstep and she was lucky to have gotten to it before anyone else could see it. This one had been so different. Angry, yelling, punishing. Before the letters had possessed an air of devotion, an unhealthy opinion of perfection. They had essentially been love letters to her beauty, her intelligence, her bravery, her heart. This one was accusing. And because he seemed less enamored, Bonnie had been afraid enough to have gone straight to Jesse. She opened her eyes to watch him read the note. He never changed expression, never gave any indication that he was the least bit affected. For whatever reason, his cold impassiveness seemed to steady her.

"That was a clear threat to Jeremy, wasn't it?"

Bonnie watched Jesse slowly fold the letter and look her in the eyes, "Yes. He's officially gone over the deep end into insanity."

"He's always been insane." Bonnie felt the need to correct him.

"No. Before he held an unhealthy obsession with you, but he's been too cold, too calculated, too specific to have been really mad. At the edge, yes, over it? No. He had a clear plan and that was to insert himself into your life by steadily removing the obstacles he considered to be competition. He didn't kill too often, nor did he kill randomly. That shows control. No insane person has any control."

Bonnie took a deep breath as the full implications of what he was saying sunk in. The guy hadn't been completely crazy, just cold-blooded. what did it mean for them all, now that he had gone over the deep end?

"What did you make of the letter?"

Jesse looked at Bonnie for a second before he continued. She was handling it, taking it all in, processing it, and dealing with it. Because he respected her enough to understand that she could handle all of it, he continued.

"His mind has completely shattered. The writing here starts out calmly enough and quickly escalades into a full blown rant. The use of all capital letters suggest a childishness, a brain not fully developed. The youthful whining, school yard bully tactics, taunting threats to get what he wants? It all suggests to me that the guy, at some point, has simply stopped growing within the world, and instead built his own place in his mind where he was allowed to never fully grow up. He has reverted back to that place."

"How much trouble is Jeremy in?"

"As much as he's always been in. But to be completely honest with you, I feel like you are in the most immediate danger, Bonnie."

"He wouldn't hurt me."

"Oh, yes. Yes he would. Right now he wants to punish you, wants to see you hurt. he wants to see you suffer. Part of him doesn't see himself as worthy enough to be with you, and so he feels threatened. He wants you to associate betrayal with pain. a sort of lesson for you to never do it again."

Bonnie whipped around and buried her face in her hands. It was just all too much. She honestly didn't know how much more of this she could stand. Matt had been attacked and lay in a hospital, Liz had been brutally murdered, Caroline was destroyed, no one had seen Stefan in days, Damon was on edge, Elena a nervous wreck and now Jeremy's life was on the line. Because of her. All of this because some sick bastard had an obsession with her. How could she ever look her friends in the eye again?

Jesse was silent as he watched Bonnie cry as if the world were ending. Great earth shattering, body wracking sobs that threatened to tear him up inside. He started to reach a hand out to her but thought the better of it. Pity, even sympathy, he knew was not something Bonnie needed or would accept. So he simply stood and waited until she had cried herself out. When she had, he handed her a napkin and then continued.

"Gilbert has demanded that a guard be put on you, and I have to agree after this. He's already paid, and the paper work should be wrapped up by the end of the day. He'll be on you morning til night, 24/7 and will need a room to sleep in and things like that, where ever you will be staying until this is over. Gilbert has requested that you remain at the Gilbert house-"

"No. No way. After this, there is no way I'm staying at Jeremy's house, it's too risky."

Good luck convincing Gilbert of that, Jesse thought it but didn't say it out loud. After talking with the kid a few times himself, Jesse had no doubt that Gilbert would get out of Bonnie what he wanted in the end. He didn't know much about the kid when it came to other matters, but when it came to Bonnie's safety, the guy was a bull dog.

"That'll be something the two of you discuss."

Bonnie sighed and gathered up her coat. They were nowhere. She knew it, felt it in her bones. People were dying and disappearing and they were no closer than they had been. It just wasn't fair.

"Hey."

Bonnie turned back at Jesse's quiet voice.

"We'll get him."

Bonnie was silent as she studied him. Tall, strong, alone. For reasons she couldn't understand, she totally believed him, totally believed in him. "Thank you, Jesse."

Jesse smiled as she walked out. It had been the first time since he's known her, that she'd called him by his first name. *

The snow was absolutely ridiculous. Bonnie hunched further in her fur jacket as she made her way swiftly to her car. Well, as swiftly as anyone could in 6 inches of snow. It was ludicrous! Who could be bothered to walk in snow when they were buried up to their legs in it? Ridiculous! Bonnie punched her car keys into her car lock aggressively and slammed the door once she was inside. Small spurts of anger that did nothing to soothe her. Damn snow. Starting the car, Bonnie eased onto the road. Thankfully she was the only passenger on the road. The snow was such that the outside world looked like one great wall of white. It was like living in a snow globe that has just been top sized. Bonnie's fingers tightened on the steering wheel as she sped up. She would have to speak with Jeremy, let him know that it couldn't continue between them. It killed her. absolutely killed her. They were finally getting back to a good place, talking, laughing, just being together like they hadn't been able to in too long. And now she would have to tell him to leave her alone. Because some asshole was too obsessed with her to see that he wouldn't stand a chance in a million years. The thought of it had Bonnie speeding up a little bit more.

She'd have to face Caroline one of these days. Her friend hadn't uttered a word since they had found out that the mutilated hand had belonged to her mother, and Bonnie had never seen Caroline so dejected. It scared her to see her friend so devoid of life, and because that fear choked her and threatened to steal her breath, she sped up some more.

25...26...27..31...35...42...50...

The road was deserted and so Bonnie just kept going. So many lives ruined. For nothing. When her turn came up, Bonnie put her foot on the brakes and pushed down. Nothing happened. Frowning she pressed down harder and felt her brakes fall uselessly to the floor. Her mouth dropped open as she sped past her exit. For one heart stopping moment, Bonnie was completely frozen, she couldn't move. Her brakes had just fallen to the floor and she was driving at 52 miles per hour. Her hands tightened on the wheel and Bonnie forced herself not to panic. She was on a high cliff and she would need all of her focus to navigate the swift turns and allies that the bend had. Normal cars drove the cliff as 25 mph, Bonnie took it at 52. Brain working frantically for a way out, Bonnie glanced at her gas meter. quarter of a tank. She wouldn't last that long. Bonnie let herself go for just a second and cried and screamed until her throat was sore. Then she began to plan. Making a fast left turn, she headed up the Express way toward the forest. She sent up another silent prayer that no one was on the roads. Making her way into the blessed deserted streets, Bonnie drove onto the pavement, and straight into the woods and to the biggest tree she could find. Moment of truth. Bonnie kept her eyes wide opened and focused all the way until the last possible moment.

"I love you, Jeremy."

and she crashed. The piles and piles of snow, the very snow that she had been complaining about only minutes before, was the one thing that saved her life. *

ARE YOU HAPPY? HUH? DID YOU THINK I WANTED TO DO THAT? I'M SHAKING, CRYING LIKE A LITTLE GIRL! I CAN'T STOP. I CAN'T STOP BONNIE! HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME DO THAT TO YOU. I LOVE YOU! ALL I WANT IS YOUR HAPPINESS. YOU THINK I LIKE SEEING YOU LIKE THAT? I COULD HAVE LOST YOU! COULD STILL LOSE YOU! I NEED YOU, CAN'T YOU SEE THAT? STOP BEING SO STUPID! FOR THAT DRUNK! THE ONE WHO CHEATED, LIED, HURT YOU! DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT IF HE COULD HAVE THAT SMELLY GHOST THAT HE WOULD CHOOSE YOU? HE WOULDN'T! HE WOULDN'T BECAUSE HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU LIKE I DO! AND NOW LOOK AT YOU. HURT BECAUSE OF HIM, IN THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF HIM. HE DID THIS TO YOU! HE'S HURT YOU! OH GOD OH GOD. HOW MUCH MORE CAN YOU TAKE? HE KEEPS HURTING YOU AND NOW HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN YOU KILLED. LOOK WHAT HE'S DONE. HE'LL PAY. I PROMISE YOU, BONNIE, I WON'T LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THIS. YOU ARE SO FRAGILE, SO AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL AND HE ALMOST GOT YOU KILLED. HE WILL PAY. I WILL HAVE OUR REVENGE. I promise.


	8. Affair of the heart

I am so sorry. You were so hurt, so bruised and battered I thought I would die. I thought you would die and I just...I've never cried so much in my life. I want you to know that I was never far from you. I kept watch over you and protected you and loved you. I want you to know that. I'll always be here for you. I hate that this had to happen to you, but maybe we can see some good in it. Now that we both know what not to do, we can avoid accidents like this happening in the future. You just need to be more careful, we both do. I've never known you to be so clumsy... You are the only good thing in my life, my future wife, mother of my children. I need you to care about your safety. Well, that's over now. In my worry for you I've nearly forgotten what the whole point of this was. I haven't even been able to focus on the plan, the one to finally bring us together. I think it's time to get back to that. Don't you? *

Alaric stopped when he saw Caroline sitting at a table alone in the Grill. It's been a week since she's learned about her mother, and everyone was doing their best to get her life back to a place that she can be alive in it again. Matt had been released days ago and was resting with his family down in Florida, Bonnie would be released today, and Caroline sat in a bar seemingly oblivious. Alaric has dealt with pain and death the same that Caroline was dealing with, and he knew that a week and some good friends were, unfortunately, not nearly enough. The first and most important step had to be made by Caroline herself.

"Hey. Mind if I join you?"

Caroline didn't glance up to see who was behind her. She'd known the minute he'd walked into the Grill, because she had smelled him. Caroline grinned ruefully. One of the perks of being a vampire. Another perk she'd have to shoulder in her life and live with.

"Seat's empty."

Alaric ignored her sarcasm and sat across from her. He studied her for a moment. She'd lost the sickly look she had carried around for days, and she'd gotten back some color.

"Bonnie's being released today. Doctors say she was lucky. The snow had cushioned most of the impact, so that combined with the airbag resulted in minimal injuries."

Caroline didn't respond, but Alaric knew she heard him. Knew she listened closely.

"Fractured wrist, dislocated shoulder, slight concussion, bruised ribs, and a mean gash on her head are about the worst of the injuries."

"You say she's leaving today?"

Alaric was careful not to let the satisfaction of her question show in his eyes. Concern for another person, a hurt friend, was a good indicator that they were slowly getting the old Caroline back.

"Yes. Jeremy's with her now. The kid hasn't left her side since they found her crashed car. I don't think he'll breathe again until this guy is caught."

"He loves her."

"yeah, he does." Alaric paused as he considered just how far he should push her. He decided to test the waters, "She misses you, Caroline."

Caroline shut her eyes against the quiet empathy in Alaric's voice. She missed Bonnie as much as her friend missed her. She just didn't know how to face her. Bonnie was going through so much pain, Caroline didn't want to add to it. What could she say? Hey, your stalker killed my mother, want to watch Gossip Girl? She shook her head as tears spilled unchecked down her face. She couldn't. She couldn't do that to Bonnie. To herself.

Alaric laid a quiet hand over hers on the table, "You're stronger than you know, Caroline. You know, even before you were a vampire, I always looked at you as being the strongest of all the kids?"

Caroline looked up at him.

"It's true. You were so vulnerable yet so sure of yourself. What you wanted. You faced life everyday with a determined smile and an indominatable spirit. Your recent change didn't affect those things in you, it didn't give you a new personality or sense of self. It didn't give you new strength. It simply made you aware of those traits that you already had."

Caroline was silent. And then she smiled, smiled and laughed until her sides hurt. Wiping at the tears in her eyes she looked at Ric.

"Why don't you let me buy you that drink, Ric?" *

Bonnie groaned and gingerly touched the bandage on her head. This was what she got for waking up too hard.

"Here, drink this."

Bonnie opened her eyes slowly, slowly or else they would fall out of her head, and looked up at Jesse Boldari. She nearly groaned a second time but bit it back and took a sip of the cup he held to her lips.

"Hm, what is it?"

"Just water and aspirin. It'll do wonders in the long run." Jesse looked Bonnie over. She was bruised but tough. Jesse smirked to himself, no car crash was going to get her down.

"What are you smirking about?" Bonnie asked sulkily.

Jesse laughed out loud, "You know, Bonnie, that is the first time I heard you whine?"

"Whine?"

"Yes, whine. Don't worry it's cute. And everybody gets one."

"I don't know what you think this is, Mr. Boldari, but you don't know me nearly enough to be insulting me."

"Tune your lips up like that long enough they're bound to get stuck that way. Don't worry, that's cute too." He was beginning to think that everything about her was cute.

"Are you laughing at me? I swear to god, Boldari, if you're laughing at me..."

"Bonnie! I would never." Jesse choked out a laugh as he ducked from the cup she threw, with amazing accuracy, at his head.

"Out! Get out! I cannot stand you! oooh!" Bonnie reset her covers angrily as she gave him her blackest scowl.

"Ok, Now you just look downright scary. Truce. Im sorry, I actually came here for a reason."

Bonnie took a deep breath and got up from the bed. She was leaving today and she didn't really want to admit how scared she was. The hospital had offered a sense of security she hadn't had since this whole mess had started. Stefan was still missing, but for the week that she'd been there, even the letters had stopped. No one was hurt and she wasn't worried. except now she was leaving the hospital and that bubble had burst. Bonnie closed her eyes. She didn't know where she would find the strength to face it all again.

Jesse stopped packing her things and looked at her for a moment. As tough as Bonnie was, even she had a point. and every emotion was written clearly on her transparent face.

"Bonnie.."

"Don't," She was mad, mad that she heard her own voice crack, mad that she knew that he heard it too. Mad was easier than scared so she focused on that. "You know what, Mr. Boldari, for a cop you fairly suck. You've been in and out of this hospital and my room all week and not once have you given me any new details on the case. You know, the case? The one with the crazy man stalking me? I'm laid up in the hospital, Some guard I don't know can't give me even the illusion of space, one maybe two people have been murdered, another attacked, and you come in here joking about my facial expressions. You've done nothing to help, and now I've got a best friend's mother dead, another best friend's boyfriend missing, another friend with amnesia and Jeremy in danger. What am I supposed to do? Huh? Mr. cop, do you have any answers?" Bonnie sat on the floor and cried. She hadn't been aware that all of that was in her, hell she'd cried so much over the past few weeks she didn't know she was capable of any more tears.

Jesse was quiet while she cried. He finished folding the shirt he had in his hands and packed it with the rest of her stuff. When he was done, he set the suit case aside and faced her.

"You're right. You're absolutely right, Bonnie. I'm a cop. Do you know what that means? It means that in the last week I've had two robberies, a domestic dispute, three car accidents, a missing child, and a public and very drunken brawl. I've got a dead sheriff and suddenly all of her responsibilities plus my own. The department has 3 deputies, one of which has been placed on 24/7 guard for your benefit. My day consists of Working with the Federal government on the case of sheriff Forbes, answering to the mayor and head of the Mystic Falls police department, working with payroll and human resources, dealing with daily grievances, and checking up on you and this case. I'm sorry that I can't give you my full attention like you and I would both like, but you have to understand that Mystic Falls operates on a much larger scale than just you and your friends. The hard truth is that there hasn't been a break in your case in over a week. and until there is there is nothing I can do about it."

Jesse stopped and looked at her. She'd stopped crying and he had her full attention. He wanted to say something that would take that haunted look out of her eyes. Tell her anything that she wanted to hear, but that was impossible. He'd acknowledged once the strength in her and he absolutely believed it. she would deal with this like she's dealt with everything else.

"Jesse."

"No, don't. We're both on edge and I had no right to speak to you that way-"

"Don't do that. I was wrong, Jesse. Look at me please." He did so, and Bonnie had the uncomfortable feeling of falling forward into his eyes. She stood to go stand in front of him. "I'm sorry. I've been so wrapped up in this thing-"

"And that's understandable, Bonnie."

"Please, let me get this out. You've been amazing, Jesse. I don't know anyone who would have done as much as you have for me. What kind of cop makes personal trips to deliver aspirin and water?"

"You know it's more than that, Bonnie." Jesse said it quietly.

Bonnie looked up at him and smiled a little sadly.

"I know." *

Jeremy huffed out a breath as he left the house. Bonnie was leaving the hospital today. He hated to leave her for even a moment, but he wanted the house to be absolutely perfect and comfortable for her when he brought her there. He had no doubt that she would give him trouble, more concerned about his safety than her own, but Jeremy wouldn't be budged. He'd bring her home kicking and screaming if he had to, but there was no way he would leave her alone. He'd have both Bonnie and Elena in the same house and that would be the best way to protect them both. It might also work if he told Bonnie that Elena could use some extra protection, and Bonnie being in the house would make him feel better. Jeremy smile to himself. That was just the sort of thing that would work on Bonnie. The sun streamed valiantly through the clouds as Jeremy made his way onto the sidewalk. He glanced at his watch, 2:15. Bonnie would be released at 3, which gave him plenty of time to make his way back to the hospital. Jeremy knew that Bonnie had relaxed somewhat in the last week now that things seemed to have calmed, but he hasn't. The hit after the calm was usually the biggest one, and Jeremy was wary of what came next. Bonnie was safe with the guard and Jesse Boldari, but he wouldn't relax completely until he was there with her. Jeremy looked over his shoulder at the sound of an engine. He didn't recognize the car, but the driver was approaching way too fast. Jeremy shook his head and kept walking. When he didn't see the car speed past he turned his head curiously just in time to see the headlights as they made a mad dash toward him. *

He watched as the drunk rollled over the hood of his car and fell uselessly to the ground. Giddy, he put the car in reverse, stuck his middle finger out the window at the jerk, and sped off. He couldn't wait to tell Bonnie that he'd finally gotten their revenge! *


	9. Fighting Back

Damn drunk just wouldn't die. He knew he hadn't made a mistake, he'd aimed to kill, but the kid just didn't want to die. Fucking drunks. They'd live longer than all of them and turn the world into one big pile of misery and failure. It didn't matter. The drunk was no longer an issue. Bonnie wouldn't want to be with him and after a while he'd drink himself to death. He smiled to himself. It's actually worked out better than he could have hoped. He wouldn't kill the kid, the kid would eventually kill himself, all he had to do was convince Bonnie that the drunk hadn't changed his ways.

"You won't win, you know that right?"

He rolled his eyes as he turned to look at Stefan. The guy was in bad shape, he was only feeding him the bare minimum that was needed for survival, and Stefan even refused that at times. Fucking stubborn ass vampire. He'd had to resort to giving him the blood as a transfusion through his veins. Wasn't entirely healthy, but it kept the damn thing alive, and for the moment he needed him alive.

"You have something to say to me, Vampire?"

Stefan laughed and spit blood at him, his two canines were missing but he still had the rest of his teeth. It didn't matter to him one way or the other, his teeth would grow back, but he knew that he had to get under the guy's skin, keep him making mistakes, rile him up. He couldn't be there physically for Elena, but he would do what he could from here.

"You heard me, you won't win. So far, if I'm following along, you've managed to fail in killing Matt, failed to keep Bonnie away from other guys, failed to kill Jeremy, and now you've got a chained up vampire who you don't have a clue how to control and one who will have your neck before this thing is over, am I about right?"

"Fuck you, vampire! You have no idea what my plan is!"

Stefan only continued to look at him with that damned smirk on his face, "Do you have any idea what your plan is?"

Stefan laughed as he took the hits to his face, chest and neck that the killer rained on him. At this point his body had been numbed to pain, he felt nothing but the insidious hunger that refused to give him peace.

"I'll show you, I'll show you all. Before this is done I'll have my wildflower at my side and we'll both look back laughing as Mystic Falls burns to the ground."

The killer burned with fury as he stormed out followed by the vampire's taunting laughter. Forever taunting him. Letting him know that he wasn't good enough, that he was a failure. No! He would win! He'd show them, he'd show them all! *

"We've been sitting here like waiting ducks as this guy plucks us off one by one. I'm done. It's time we do something about this fuck."

Damon folded his arms and regarded the group in his foyer.

Tyler Lockwood, Hybrid. Quiet, Damon didn't entirely trust him, but he'd be good to have on their side in a fight. Plus, he was part dog. Maybe he could be used to sniff out the bastard.

Alaric Saltzman. Damon trusted the guy more than anyone else in the room, and he knew that he could be fairly helpful. He would need to put his head together with Ric to plan this thing out.

Caroline Forbes. Damon took a moment to look her over. Wan, but strong. Determined to see this thing out to the end. She may be of some help if this killer underestimates her.

Elena Gilbert. Weak, worried, upset over her brother, Bonnie and Stefan. She'd be useless.

Jesse Boldari. Good cop. Strong. Still an unknown to Damon, but he'd use the guy until he figured he didn't need him anymore.

Damon nodded at his assessments of the group. He could take or leave any of them, he didn't frankly give a fuck. His brother was missing, not dead, Damon would know, but some fuck had him and Damon was going to get him back if he had to go in by himself. The group would stand, but they'd damn sure better be prepared to fight.

"Damon's right. This is the last straw. I'm tired of us all being made into victims, I'm ready to fight back."

Caroline spoke up for the first time, and Damon cocked a brow at the vehemence in her voice. Yeah, Caroline would fight. Damon raised his glass in acknowledgment to her.

"The rest of you?"

Alaric was the next to step forward. He laid a hand on Damon's shoulder briefly, "Stefan meant alot to us all, Damon. He's my brother as much as he is yours. I'm in."

Damon looked him in the eye and nodded at the unspoken promise he read there. Alaric would fight.

"He was a dead man the minute he hurt Caroline."

Damon looked at Tyler. The kid was quiet, but aggressive, and the killer had made a huge error going after the Hybrid's girlfriend. Tyler would fight.

"You guys know I'm a cop right? It's my responsibility to point out that civilians should never attempt the take the law into their own hands, you could all end up hurt. The way he's already hurt Bonnie."

Damon took a moment to study Jesse Boldari. He looked him in the eye for a second before he grinned for the first time in nearly 2 weeks. The son of a bitch would fight.

Damon was quiet when he turned to face Elena. He didn't want to ask it of her, didn't want to put her in that position. She'd already been through so much, Damon doubted she had much fight left in her. Elena looked at him for the first time all night and he could have sworn he saw fire in her eyes. He had expected tears, hysterics, denial. But there was fire in her eyes, and Damon wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

"He's killed Liz, ruined Caroline's life, Harassed Bonnie, almost killed Bonnie, attacked Matt, did god knows what to Stefan and now my little brother is laying in a hospital after nearly losing his life. Don't you dare hesitate to look at me Damon, don't you dare underestimate how much I want this guy dead and how far I will go to see him pay. I damn well will fight, and whether you like it or not, my face will be one of the ones he sees when he realizes that he's lost."

Damon looked at her for another minute before he nodded. Elena would fight. *

The room was blessed dark when Jeremy woke up. Bonnie wasn't quite ready to face him in the light, so the darkness was something she appreciated. Jeremy had been awake on and off fo the last couple of days and it was always both a relief and terror when he looked at her. She never knew what to say to him, so she simply held his hand. The doctors said he would be in the hospital for a while and Bonnie had wanted to put Nick, the bodyguard, on watch outside his door but Jeremy had refused. When Jeremy had his mind made up on something, he didn't budge. It didn't matter, Bonnie never left his side, so the guard had just had to protect them both.

"Bonnie?"

Bonnie rushed to his side and held onto his hand, "I'm here. I'm right here."

Jeremy squinted to look at her in the dark. Unlike Bonnie he cursed the darkness. He needed to see her eyes.

"What are you worrying about, Bonnie?"

"I'm not, I'm just anxious to see you better."

Jeremy closed his eyes. He hated to hear her lie to him, hated that distance he felt growing between them everyday.

"I love you, Bonnie."

She didn't answer him, only held his hand tighter.

"Did you hear me?" He knew she had, but he needed her to talk to him. It scared him that she wouldn't. The one thing Jeremy knew he couldn't lose was Bonnie, and he was only hanging on to her by a thread.

"This isn't the time for this, Jeremy. The doctors say you need rest-"

"Fuck the doctors! I said I love you, Bonnie." Jeremy knew he sounded harsh, but he felt like he was drowning the further and further away she was.

Silence was his only answer. Jeremy felt tears threaten and sat up to get a closer look at her. Bonnie immediately rushed to his side when she saw him trying to get up and he grabbed her and held her close when she had made it to his bed.

"A year ago I met a vampire. I didn't know she was a vampire at the time, only that she was different, alone, isolated. That pain in her spoke to the pain in me and we bonded. I cared about her, in my way, she seemed like the perfect thing to help me move on from Vicki. I used her, she used me, and I'd never felt more free in my life."

Jeremy felt the shudder go through Bonnie, but she lay limp in his arms, so he continued.

"we made love, we got drunk, we studied folklore, and for the first time in a long while I felt like I belonged somewhere. She was alot like me, and so I held onto that. I don't think I ever loved her."

Jeremy felt Bonnie's instant rejection of that confession and ignored it. He would get this all out, and she could say what she needed to when he was done.

"The sex was amazing, she understood my isolation and we had a lot in common. She was my friend and I cared for her. I thought it was enough. Then I met you. I've known you my whole life, and yet I feel like I've only met you a few months ago." Jeremy grinned ruefully. It was backwards, but he knew she got it. Knew she felt the same way.

"You made my palms sweat and my heart race. My lungs burn and my body ache. I've never felt anything like it. Vicki was dangerous, Anna was easy, you were...You scared me to death, Bonnie. I couldn't even tell what was happening to me because I was falling in love. I've never really been in love before and I couldn't be sure what was happening to me."

Jeremy lifted Bonnie into his arms and held her close. He rubbed his face along hers and smeared tears. His tears or hers he wasn't certain, so he continued.

"I didn't know what it was, but for the first time in my life, I felt right. Not isolated or alone because I could never feel that way when I was with you. I didn't need to be surrounded by a dozen friends, we were each other's friend. You were home, for me, peace. When Anna came back I was confused. I loved her but not the way I loved you. Never the way I loved you, and that made me feel guilty. At one point I thought Anna was the one, and because she wasn't and deep down I knew she wasn't, I forced myself to look at her differently. She was dead and I didn't protect her, the least I owed her was my heart."

Bonnie tugged and he let her go. He couldn't see her, but he heard her pacing around the room.

"Bonnie..."

"Jesse says that everyone will be meeting at the Salvatore house to discuss what to do about this guy who has hurt you. They're already there, but I'll swing by and get caught up, let you know what's going on."

Jeremy let out a breath when she walked to the door.

"Ok. Just be sure to let me know." *

Snarling with rage, he kicked the chair in his path so that it flew across the room and landed in a shower of wood on the floor. He punched the air again and again. How dare they? How fucking dare they? They thought they could outsmart him? Damn, damn them, damn her, damn him! He'd show them. He was smarter than them all. Fucking retards thought they could sit around and conspire against him? He would see them all suffer before he was through. He punched holes in the wall and stomped on the already broken chair until it was unrecognizable. Yeah, he'd show them. Thought they were so smart? They couldn't beat him! what they were trying to do was take Bonnie from him. No one took her from him! He hit the wall until his knuckles bled. She was his! He would not let them win. He just had to be calm, get himself together. He took a deep breath and heard the taunting laughter of Stefan Salvatore. Fuck them all! *


	10. Night Predator

It was too easy. He grinned malevolently as he bypassed the trap set for him. They had no idea, absolutely no idea, how far ahead of them he really was. But they would learn, oh yes, tonight they would learn. The night wind had an angry bite to it, the chorus of rough whistles lifted in the air and suited his mood perfectly. There was something evil, something decidedly dangerous in the croak of an occasional wild crow, the snipping of midnight insects, and the discordant cackle of the snapping wind. Oh yes, he'd teach them all a lesson tonight they would never forget. He stood back just to the edge of the woods as he watched them wait for him to take the bait. Moving stealthily, he edged his way past the dog and heard his own heart race when the thing looked over the area he was creeping in. You smell me, don't you dog? Can't figure me out? He laughed silently as the wind picked up and swirled the snow in a mass of dancing flurries that further added to his cover. When the dog cast one more suspicious glance his way and then reluctantly turned back, he continued down the slope. He had to be careful not to fight against the wind, but let it carry him to his destination. Most of the species here weren't human, and he'd have to be careful not to make a mistake that could trigger their instincts. He stopped behind a wide oak and smiled at his prey. She was like a snow princess. The flurry whispered around her and touched all over her almost as enthralled with her as he was. The wind kissed and tugged at her hair, and the harmony of nature seemed to compete for her absolute attention and affection. She was a vision of stunning grace and illuminating peacefulness. This, he knew, was where she belonged. She was a wild creature, born to be a part of nature. She's been stifled and caged for too long. It was time he set her free.

He edged closer, all the while keeping his eye to the dog. He knew he would be fairly surrounded, but he had mapped out the position of every member of the little group hoping to assassinate him. He made his way south bound following the wind closely. He was so close to her now he could reach out and touch her. He stilled abruptly when he heard a whisper of movement. Frowning suspiciously, he edged backward away from Bonnie until his back hit the front of a large tree. The hairs on the back of his neck rose, he knew when he was being stalked. He looked all around him, the group was still in position waiting for him to take the bait that he would never take. That meant that something else stalked him. he reached around the roof of the tree trunk to steady himself as he remained absolutely motionless. He needed to become a part of the landscape, just another tree, breathe with the wind...There! The son of a bitch was just to the left of him. He squinted and made out Damon Salvatore. Of course. The bastard would have a little side plan just in case the original one didn't work, a side plan that he wouldn't let anyone know about. Fuck! He'd been too sure of himself, it was a stupid mistake not to figure that the vampire would have a plan B. Well, he had one of his own, didn't he? Grinning wickedly he set about to lay down the set up for his own trap. *

She was being hunted. Bonnie felt it like a cold chill down her spine. He was everywhere. In the wind, the snow, the insects that crawled all over her. She saw the glow of his satisfied eyes in every shadow. Whatever move she made, wherever she went, whatever she did he was watching her. She was forever hunted. Bonnie balled her fists up against her side angrily. She would not cower like some fainting female and allow him to frighten her, terrorize her the way he wanted. She was out here in the dead of night, freezing cold to catch the bastard, to fight back. She shook partly due to anger, part fear, but mostly anger. He would not get the best of her. Bonnie glanced over at Tyler and he shook his head. Bonnie knew he was out there, watching them, watching her, but he hadn't been caught in the trap. Something was wrong.

"Guys!" an icy chill ran down Bonnie's spine as she hurried toward Caroline's anxious voice. They all gathered around her and stared down at the thing that had made Caroline call out to them. Bonnie's stomach heaved and she buried her face in Jesse's chest.

A necklace, made completely out of what looked like Vampire's teeth. *

"Here, drink this."

Bonnie managed a trembling half smile as she took the steaming mug Jesse put in her hands. She was seated comfortably on his armchair facing the fire roaring in the fireplace. Coming to Jesse's little townhouse/cabin had felt like the most natural thing to Bonnie after what had happened in the woods. She didn't feel like she could face any of her friends after what they had found.

"You're always making me drink things. I'm beginning to think you have a fetish."

Jesse didn't respond, simply continued to look at Bonnie with concern. "Bonnie."

The tenderness in his voice was almost her undoing. To keep herself busy she jumped up to explore his house. The interior was all gleaming oakwood and hardwood floors. There was something decidedly male in the simplicity of the furniture, The bare walls covered only with the occasional painting Bonnie recognized as antique and very expensive. A simple man with simple taste and the occasional nod to the extravagant and pretty. Jesse in a nutshell. Bonnie smiled to herself and ran a finger over the end table adorned only with a clock and Jesse's car keys.

"I love this house." Bonnie made the confession wistfully.

Jesse studied her for another moment before he went over to take the mug she wasn't drinking from her hands and set it on the table next to his keys.

"None of this is your fault, Bonnie."

"Then why does it feel like it is."

Jesse took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him, "Look at me. I know what it feels like to be eaten up inside with guilt. Guilt over something you have no control over. It eats at you and takes a little bit of your soul away everyday until you are left an empty shell."

"How could you possibly know how I feel Jesse? Hm? Just look at you, the perfect golden boy. Great cop, good guy, handsome, probably grew up in the suburbs with adoring parents, 2.5 siblings, and an annoyingly coddling granny. How could you possibly know what guilt feels like? What it feels like to watch your friends terrorized and people killed on your behalf? Tell me that, Jesse, please."

Jesse turned away to look into the fireplace. His back was stiff, the only concession the cauldron of his own emotions.

"My partner was killed because of me."

He said it so quietly Bonnie wasn't sure she had heard him. A partner. He'd mention having a partner when he was in New York briefly. She'd forgotten his name..Ben or...

"Brian. Brian Johnson. He was 25 years old and had a young wife pregnant with their first baby." Jesse smiled as he recalled the image of her, "Elise. She was like a little gypsy elf. So tiny I first took her as a child herself. Brian absolutely adored her, and she him. I envied him as much as I feared the lifestyle. Settling down, having a kid, steady job steady life." Jesse shuddered a bit.

"You loved it."

Jesse didn't look at her, only continued watching the flames.

"I loved that she made him happy. That he was so content in his life. Brian and Elise taught me a lot about love, I figure that's why it's always been so hard for me to settle down. I've been searching for that thing that they had between them, the same thing I saw between my parents growing up."

Bonnie smiled but didn't answer. The idea of waiting for the right one was so like Jesse. He would toy around and flirt, but never give his heart away, not until he'd found that thing he had recognized as true love between his parents and Brian and Elise.

"Anyway, he was a good cop, Brian was. He was someone you wanted at your back. One night we were working a beat, got a call in about a domestic dispute. The child of the arguing parents had called it in afraid her father was going to kill her mother. She couldn't have been more than 5, and we had seen that sort of thing everyday. Parents argue too loud, maybe the dad pushed the mom around a bit, and the child cries world war 2. We figured this one was just like the others and a simple warning would be enough to scare them into getting their acts together."

Bonnie's heart pounded in alarm, "It wasn't."

Jesse shook his head. "We heard the first gunshot almost before we had reached the curb. Brian stayed to radio it in, and I rushed onto the premises. I was a cocky son of a bitch, even hearing gun shots, I thought I could handle the situation on my own. Brian called out to me to wait for him to make the call, but I knew there wasn't time. By the time Brian was through with dispatch the guy would be long gone."

"You made a choice that you thought would save that child's life."

"No, Bonnie. I made the choice that would win me the most glory. I wanted to rush in there and handle the situation, subdue the perp, and have the child safe in my arms before Brian had even opened the door of his car."

Jesse stopped speaking and Bonnie padded over to stand behind him, silently, "What happened?"

Jesse shook his head, "The guy hadn't run. He was standing there over his dead wife gun still in hand pointed right at the child. I had a split second to panic, reach for the gun in my holster, before he noticed me and fired. I went down. I was useless. I heard Brian rushing in at the sound of the gunshot and tried to warn him away. It was too late. He rushed in just in time to shoot off one round before the guy shot him square in the neck. Brian was dead in seconds."

Jesse scrubbed his hands over his face, grateful Bonnie didn't speak.

"Brian had managed to nab the perp in the head and he went down, lost the gun. I was on him almost immediately, but it was too late. when the ambulance arrived they carted out three dead Bodies. One of them was Brian's."

Bonnie laid a quiet hand on Jesse's back. She knew he wouldn't hear her if she told him it wasn't his fault, so she didn't waste her breath on it.

"Brian sounds like an amazing man. He seems to have loved you. Tell me, Jesse, had you not done what you did, rushing in like you did and not waiting for Brian, what do you think would have happened to that little girl? He would have shot her, killed her and instead of three there would have been four. One of them belonging to a child."

Jesse didn't speak, but Bonnie felt the shudder go through him.

"Brian was a cop. It was what he had chosen, to live his life for the protection of others. If you thought he had the choice of you waiting for him and having that little girl shot to death, do you honestly think he would have chosen himself over her?"

Jesse turned to look at Bonnie for the first time and felt a smile, amazingly, tug at his lips. "You look so fierce, Bonnie. I'm standing here telling you that it was my fault that a young man died and you're trying to protect me."

"Did you want my opinion or just someone to agree with you?"

Jesse's smile widened as he shook his head, "I guess I was hoping that those two things would go hand in hand."

Bonnie sighed and some of the tension left her shoulders. She smoothed her hand up and down Jesse's back in quiet comfort, "Brian sounds like he was an amazing guy, Jesse. Instead of remembering his death, maybe you should remember that."

Jesse breathed her in and gently laid his palms on her cheeks. She was amazing and he felt his heart flutter there in his chest. Illuminated by the glow of the fire, framed by the gleaming hardwood, the window of snow at her back, Jesse thought her some sort of snow angel. And because that thought made him feel foolish, he grinned.

"What?"

Bonnie's voice was a little breathless and Jesse traced his thumb over her cheek, her chin to smooth over her lips.

"You're beautiful."

Bonnie's eyes widened and his grin spread to a full blown smile, and then he heard himself laugh.

"Come on, Bonnie. I'll show you to the guest room."

She nodded gratefully and followed him up the stairs. someday soon he would make good on the silent promise that had been in his eyes, but for tonight they were both content with sleep. *

Group zero me one! Laughing, the killer made his way back over to Stefan.

"How do you like, that? They thought they had me but they didn't!"

Stefan never lost his infuriating grin, "Oh, my friend. This is only act one." *


End file.
